Filter and cleanout mechanism for flues and stacks



May 18, 195'4 c. D. WRIGHT FILTER AND CLEANOUT MECHANISM OR FLUES vAND STACKS Patented May 18, 1954 :Charles-D. Wright, San Franciscoyilalif. .Application November 13, 1951,"Seria'l BT05256324 (Cl. 18S-66) 14 Claims. l

This Yinvention relates to lapparatusandrrreth- -ods for cleaning out stacks, 'chimneys'sorilues foi "furnaces or incinerators, andv is particularly .directed to a mechanism for automatieallyremoving cinders and other heavier products of combustion from a receptacle in which such :prod- Aucts lhave been deposited.

vThe -present apparatus is Aan improvementover the disclosure of myprior Patent No. 15462;?728, issued July 24, 1923 for a 'Spark -Arreston "In v'said patent, means were provided for incorpora- 'tion with a stack or flue Wherebycinderssparks, :and the like were prevented from being discharged through the'flue with the lighter smoke,

'fand wherebyl such arrested ycinders, sparks and "thelike were deposited ina receptacle from which they could be 'periodically 4manually removed. :Although this vvtype of arrester vconstituted.fan-'advance -over the `prior Aart mechanisms, certain shortcomings were present which Y1I `have "eliminatedby means of the presently 'to iba-described fstructure. One of the Achief diicultiesencouny-teredin my prior apparatus Was-the ycleaning -o'f l:the receptacle into which :the 'heavier products lo'f combustion Were supposed to v-be deposited.

As Awill be understood, the arrested products would have "to be manually removedirom the Areceptacle Aapproxinlate'ly every day. Not "only -is this a tedious rand time-consuming chord-but 'it requires a complete shut-down of the' operation-of `the furnace or 'incineraton I also 4found that in many instances, all o'f'the heavier cornbusticn vproducts would not be deposited inthe receptacle, but would fall to the bottom of *the Vmain flue or otherwise be ltrappeddoetween `the -r -ue and'receptacle.

4It is therefore an 'object Yof thepresent invenftion toprovide apparatus` for use with ya Vfluehaving a spark arrester-therein, Whereby'the sparks,

cinders, and heavier products of combustion'may be 'simply -and conveniently removed `'Without `lrequiring 'manual handling thereof.

Another object of thisinventi'on yis'to provide apparatus o'f the type described which mayV be selectively placed into vor Iout of operation With- 4out affecting the normal operation'o'f the furnace -or incinerator, and Without requiring shutting down of the latter.

A further object of my invention is Ato provide 'apparatus of the above character in which portiens of the lue structure other than Vthe refuse receptacle maybe periodically cleaned 'of 4the hea-vier products 'of 'combustion -Whicnmay `lbe isposedtherein in la simple andfconvenienttmanlincr.

-A' Lstill "further object of this "invention provide `amethod for .ei-lici'ently=andisystennatieiili disposing-of cinders andother'h'eavierfprodvucts ofrcombustion 'from'a flue section sandte. refuse receptacle `associateisl ftherewth.

'The invention 'possesses :other objects fand ieaturesof advantagasome-o'f which, with the foregoing, `will be set `forth vin the ifollovvingde- 'scription of the invention which is 'illustratedlin 'the drawing accompanying andform'ing part iz'o`f rthe specication. It `will 'be lunderstood that Vfthe invention is not vto belimited to theexemplary lapparatus or the specic'procedure herenfshown fand described, as variations thereof-maybe iernvployed which come Within the scope fo'f theappended claims.

Referring to said drawing:

"Figure 1 `is 4a vertical Across-'sectional'view ff "the apparatus of 'the present invention.

Figure 2 4is a cross-sectional viewtaken='sub `stantially in the lplane indicatedfby th'e line 2-'l2 'oi'Figure 1.

VFigure 3 -is a sectional 'view-taken v'substantially :in the 'plane indicated by the fline 3-'3 ci "Figure l1.

"lnffconventional installations, 'a generallyfwertical stack or 'flue i3 is provided on a 'furnace or incinerator, not shown, so as to 'carry awayithe pro-ducts yor" combustion. AWhile it spreerale -to only fhave smoke pass through vthe fstackfit is 7virtually impossible -to control or `regulate comvbustion to the extent that fcinders, lsparks vorrtlre like will not pass upwardly `through 'the'stack `lwith' the smoke' "thereby lcreating iire h'azardas Well as causingthe deposit 'of such refuse on -adjoining buildings land streets. "To prevent fthe heavier combustion products 'from being vdis- .fc'harge'd :into the latmosphere, afbaiile and'fscreen arrangement is provided which willeperm'iti'the smoke to .pass therethrough, but xvhich'w'ill eflfectivly -trapthe cinders, sparks, e'tc. As ih'ere shown, -the upper end of the Vstack '6 `is connected to `-one arm of a 'T section l', the yother 'arm of the latter beingeonnected to an axially-aligned 'vertical auxiliary stack B Whose-function Willoe 4'later described. A short horizontally "disposed 'flue section 9 is connected to the leg for` section and by means da damper plate H normally :positioned-as indicated in Figure `1, the products 'of combustion, -upon `passing upwardly through lstacl; 16,- 'will be fdirected :toward land intcth'e -`filue section-t.

Secured tothe other 'end of section E 1in spaced H l`ing 'a closedbdttom 13' andvan open Itop aiHi through which the smoke is discharged to the atmosphere. The combustion products passing through section 9 are deected downwardly by means of a baiiie plate I6 which is secured to and extends downwardly from the upper side of the section so that its forward end terminates substantially ush with the end of the section, and spaced above the lower side of the latter a distance approximately one-half the diameter of the section. A screen I1 extends from the end of baille I6 across the main ue I2. With this construction, it is believed clear that as all of the combustion products are directed under the screen Il, the cinders and heavier elements will be separated from the smoke, and the latter may continue its travel for discharge through the flue end I4 while the heavier elements may either accumulate on the screen and/or gravitally fall to the bottom I3 of the stack I 2.

As will be understood, the trapped cinders and fheavier products of combustion must be periodically removed, and heretofore, such removal necessitated manual handling of the refuse. In accordance with the teachings oi the present invention, such removal may now be accomplished in a rapid automatic manner, without interfering with the continued operation of the furnace. -It will be noted that a refuse receptacle I8 is placed immediately adjacent the lower end of iiue I2 and is provided with a lateral opening I9 adjacent the bottom thereof which is aligned with an opening 2I adjacent the bottom of the flue. rOpposite the opening I 9, I provide an opening 20 whose effective area may be controlled by means .of a louvre 25 so as to regulate the nature of the combustion products leaving the stack. It should be pointed out that due to the arrangement of Aparts and more particularly to the downward de- :tiection of the combustion products, the only products passing out from the stack-will be so clarified as to be practically invisible to the eye.

As best seen in Figure 2, one wall of the receptacle is provided with a slot or orifice 22 ad- 'jacent the bottom 23 thereof, and this slot is preferably on a wall angularly disposed to the wall in which the opening I9 is provided. A tapered housing 24 has a diverging chamber 26 opening ,into the slot 22, and the chamber is also placed .in ow communication with the suction side of ,-a blower 27 by means of a suitable conduit 28. A motor 29 is arranged to drive the blower, and

the blower exhaust is connected toA a conduit 3| which terminates in a sewer line 32. Intermediate the blower and sewer, I provide a water line 33 equipped with a suitable valve 34, and' if desired or required by local ordinances, a trap 36 may likewise be utilized.

From the foregoing description, the operation 'ofthe mechanism for drawing the refuse from .the lower end of flue I2 and depositing the same in the sewer line should be clear. However, in order to permit the blower to establish proper 'suction throughout the ue system, the follow- .'ing should be incorporated therein. Referring Iiirst to the auxiliary stack 8 and damper Il, it will be seen that the latter is pivotally mounted at the upper juncture of the section 9 and T sec- -tion 'I so that it may be manually rotated by lever -4I from the position indicated in Figure 1 to a position normally related thereto and completely .overlying the inlet to iue section 9. Connected to the damper II and movable therewith is a screen 42 which normally is positioned as shown in Figure 1, but which rotates to overlie the opening toauxiliary stack 8 when the damper I I closes the flue section 9. In this manner, when the blower is in operation, the operator will close the section 9 with damper II and the operation of the furnace may be continued with the screen 42 catching the heavier combustion products. Likewise, in order to establish suction for removal of the refuse, it is necessary to shut olf the atmospheric opening at the upper end of stack 8 which is of course effected by the damper II.

With the damper I I in its closed position overlying ue section 9, a damper plate 43 disposed in main iiue I2 above the screen I'I must likewise be closed by means of handle 44 to shut off the atmospheric opening I4. A door 4B overlies an opening in a wall of the ilue I2 and is arranged to slide in a pair of channels or rails 4l so that access may be had to the screen I1. By opening the door, the operator may brush the screen as suction is being applied and the door may then be closed or opened a small amount as the cleaning process is continued. The refuse will, for the most part, be disposed at the lower end of iiue I2, and to assist in drawing the same into receptacle I8, I provide a plurality of apertures 5I in a wall of iiue I2 opposite to the opening 2U. These apertures are normally covered as by means of a plate 52, but when it is desired to suck the refuse into the receptacle, the plate is raised in suitable rails 53 to uncover the apertures and thus create a draft along the bottom of the iiue. After the flue has been substantially emptied of the refuse, plate 52 may be closed, and to cornplete the evacuation of refuse from receptacle I8, a similar series of apertures 54 which are provided in the receptacle wall opposite to slot 22 are Aopened by raising a plate 56 in its guide rails 51. This will cause a suction along the bottom of the receptacle and force the refuse through the blower for admixture with water and deposit in the sewer line 32.

When the cleaning operation is completed, the blower is stopped, apertures 5I and 54 covered with their respective plates, damper 43 is opened, and plate II is rotated into its normal position closing the auxiliary stack B. It should be pointed out that the number and size of the respective apertures 5I and 54 will be such so that their combined cross-sectional area will preferably be less than the cross-sectional area of orifice 22. Similarly, the orifice size should be substantially equal to or slightly less than the cross-sectional area of the blower intake conduit 28. In this manner, a positive suction draft along the various portions of the system will be insured, and a simple clean out arrangement is provided which will not interfere with normal operations, yet which will adequately remove the trapped refuse from the iiue system without requiring manual handling of the refuse.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the characterldescribed comprising, a first flue section through which products of combustion from a furnace and the like are adapted to pass, a second nue section in spaced parallel relation to said first section, duct means interconnecting said sections intermediate the ends thereof, a screen disposed in said second section in the path of the products of combustion entering the section from said duct means, damper means in said first section wherevby products of combustion may be selectively directed into said duct means or toward the upper end of said first section, damper means in said second section intermediate the upper end thereof and said screen, said second section having a refuse discharge opening adjacent the lower end thereof, and suction establishing means in flow communication with said opening for drawing refuse therethrough.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said second section is provided with an air inlet opening disposed opposite to said discharge opening, and means for selectively opening and closing said air inlet opening.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising a first iiue section having an open top through which products of combustion from a furnace and the like are adapted to pass, a second flue section having an open top and a closed bottom, duct means intermediate said sections intermediate the ends thereof for introducing said combustion products from said first to said second sections, a screen in said second section intermediate said duct means and said open top, a damper in said second section intermediate said screen and open top for selectively opening and closing said second section, said second section further having a refuse discharge opening adjacent said closed bottom, a refuse receptacle having a chamber therein, means establishing ow communication between said chamber and said second section, means in flow communication with one side of said chamber for establishing a suction draft in said receptacle and said second nue section, means on said receptacle and said section respectively for controlling the ow of air therethrough, and damper means associated with said rst section for selectively directing all of said combustion products through said duct means or for closing said duct means and directing said products through said open top of said rst ue section.

4. Apparatus of the character described comprising: a rst ue section having an upper open end portion through which products of combustion are adapted to pass, a second ilue section having an upper open end portion in parallel spaced relation to said first section, conduit means interconnecting said sections intermediate the ends thereof, a perforate member extending across said second section in the path of the products of combustion entering the section from said conduit means, valve means in said iirst section whereby products of combustion may be selectively directed into said conduit means or toward the upper end of said rst section, valve means in said second section intermediate said perforate member and said open end thereof, means defining a refuse discharge opening adjacent the bottom of said second section, and a perforate member disposed in said first section intermediate said rst mentioned valve means and the open end of said first section and movable to intercept products of combustion upon movement of said rst valve means to close said conduit means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 506,279 Stockton Oct. 10, 1893 684,692 Jarvis Oct. l5, 1901 1,161,263 Spencer Nov. 23, 1915 1,462,728 Wright June 24, 1923 1,538,292 Lindsay May 19, 1925 1,611,018 Fuller Dec. 14, 1926 1,633,561 Drew June 21, 1927 2,100,189 Irsch Nov. 23, 1937 2,171,798 King et al Sept. 5, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 630,009 France Nov. 22, 1927 

